Sediment collector with self installation and self removal feature

ABSTRACT

A sediment collector assembly (100) (and associated method) includes a housing (102) dimensioned for receipt in an associated waterway. The housing has a wall (104, 106, 108, 112) forming an internal cavity (120). An opening (126) receives associated sediment from the associated waterway and temporarily stores the associated sediment in a hopper (128) received in the cavity and the associated sediment is subsequently removed therefrom. A chamber (160) in the housing includes at least one inlet port (162) extending through the wall that communicates with the chamber. A plurality of perforations (164) are spaced from the inlet port and extend through the wall. The inlet port is in selective, alternative, operative communication with an associated source of (i) pressurized fluid or (ii) pressurized air whereby when the pressurized fluid is introduced into the collector assembly chamber an overall weight of the collector increases and when ejected through the perforations, the fluid displaces associated soil from a bottom surface of the associated waterway.

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisionalapplication Ser. No. 62/879,154, filed Jul. 26, 2019, the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to a collector assembly particularly useful forcapture and removal of sediment from a waterway.

Sediment collectors and use of sediment collectors to remove sediment,sand, particulates, silt, etc. (collectively referred to herein as“sediment”) from a waterway are well-known. For example, commonly ownedU.S. Pat. Nos. 6,042,733; 6,346,199; 6,764,596; 7,850,857; 7,975,850;and published applications US2019/0144317A1 and PCT/US219/032482 arerepresentative of background technology, and the entire disclosures anddetails thereof are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

A particular area of need exists with regard to a collector forcapturing sand or materials that can be used for beach replenishment,sold for other beneficial re-use, etc. and particularly a collector thatworks in swash, splash, and wading zones in both tidal and non-tidalareas. In addition to the noted near shore applications, the collectorshould also be capable of functioning in increased depth areas as well,where the collector could be used as a grade control structure for usein beach areas, and maintaining navigable inlets, rivers, ports, ormarine entrances/outlets.

It would be desirable for the collector to be installed in a sand bottomregion of a waterway or water body near shore or offshore.

Further, the collector must be capable of installation at differingplacement angles relative to the shoreline, and a sub-surfaceinstallation would be desirable to enhance sand transport.

Periodic removal of the sediment from the collector is also desirable.

Integration of the collector into the associated environment isdesirable, i.e., advantageously using adjacent, available resources toincorporate the collector into the environment without adverselyimpacting or disturbing existing ecosystems. For example, avoiding useof heavy equipment for installation and operation of the collectorand/or transport of the collected sediment to a location spaced from thecollector is paramount to minimizing the impact on the existingenvironment and ecosystems.

Thus, a need exists for an improved collector arrangement that providesat least one or more of the above-described features, as well exists foran improved collector arrangement that provides at least one or more ofthe above-described features, as well as still other features andbenefits.

SUMMARY

There is provided a new collector assembly that includes a housinghaving an opening that communicates with a hopper in the housing toreceive sediment therein. A cavity in the housing adjacent the hopperselectively receives one of fluid or air.

A chamber in the housing cavity includes at least one inlet portextending through the wall that communicates with the chamber, and aplurality of perforations spaced from the inlet extending through thewall and that communicate with the chamber, the inlet port in selective,alternative, operative communication with an associated source of (i)pressurized fluid to increase an overall weight of the collector andejected through the perforations for displacing associated soil from abottom surface of the associated waterway, and (ii) pressurized airwhereby filling the chamber with air facilitates buoyancy and aids inextraction of the collector assembly from the associated waterway.

The housing may have a generally v-shaped cross-section, and the chamberperforations are preferably located in a vertex region of the v-shapedhousing.

The chamber perforations may be directed outwardly from the housing in apattern that preferably extends over an acute angle.

The housing inlet and the chamber perforations are preferably disposedat top and bottom portions of the housing, respectively.

The housing has first and second sidewall portions may be inclinedrelative to one another.

The inlet may include a grate that prevents large dimensioned materialfrom entering the internal cavity.

The internal cavity may include hoppers disposed beneath the grate thatreceive the associated sediment therein

The outlet preferably communicates with the hoppers to remove thecollected associated sediment from the housing.

An injector port may extend through the housing into communication withthe hoppers for introducing fluid into the hoppers and an ejector portmay be connected to an associated vacuum source to facilitate removal ofsediment collected therein.

A method of removing sediment from a waterway includes installing anomnidirectional collector having a sediment receiving opening, and atleast partially burying the collector beneath the water so that sedimententers the collector through the opening from sediment carrying waterpassing over the opening.

The method further may include providing pressurized fluid through theinlet port into the chamber whereby the fluid increases an overallweight of the collector, and providing air into the chamber to decreasethe weight of the collector and facilitate extraction.

The ejecting steps may include directing the pressurized fluid orpressurized air over a pattern that extends through an acute angle.

The method may include forming the housing to have a V-shapedcross-sectional portion and locating the perforations adjacent a vertexof the V-shaped cross-sectional portion.

The method may include terminating the pressurized fluid into thechamber once the housing is situated in the bottom surface of thewaterway.

The method further includes forming a hopper, an injector port, and anejector port communicating with the hopper, the hopper receivingsediment from the associated waterway.

The method may include temporarily storing the sediment in the hopper.

The method may include subsequently removing sediment from the hoppervia the ejector port.

The method may include locating the collector assembly adjacent wherewaves break at a coastline.

The method may include controlling speed of associated pumps thatcommunicate with the injection/and suction, to thereby provide a zerosuction impingement upon a surface of the grate

A primary benefit is the ability of the collector assembly toself-install.

Another advantage is the ability of the collector assembly toself-extract.

Yet another benefit resides in making the collector assembly essentiallyinnocuous to aquatic life.

Still other benefits and advantages of the present disclosure willbecome more apparent from reading and understanding the followingdetailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a collectorassembly, or a portion of a larger collector assembly.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the collector assembly of FIG.1 with selected internal structure schematically illustrated.

FIG. 3 is a view of a similar collector assembly with a portion of agrate removed for ease of illustration into a hopper located inside thecollector housing.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through the collector assembly ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a still further enlarged view of the bottom or keel region ofa preferred arrangement of the collector assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As noted in the Background, the present disclosure finds particularapplication in connection with capturing sediment (and particularly onepreferred collected type of sediment such as sand) for use in connectionwith beach replenishment, and to maintain navigability of waterways. Theability to place a collector in near shore applications is particularlydesirable, and specifically providing a collector that works in swash(i.e., a narrow channel of water aligned within a sandbank or between asandbank and the shore), splash, and wading zones in both tidal andnon-tidal areas. Alternatively, the collector can function in deeperdepths of water, as well such as used in grade control along a varietyof areas such as beach regions, navigable inlets, rivers, ports, etc.

Turning to FIGS. 1-6, there is shown a collector assembly (sometimesreferred to herein as a collector) 100 that includes a housing 102 whichin a preferred arrangement is an elongated, generally rectangular-shapedstructure that is sized for the required application. The housing 102has a generally rectangular-shaped upper surface conformation 104, andlikewise generally rectangular-shaped side portions 106 and end portions108 that merge into a generally triangular-shaped lower portion 110. Thegenerally triangular-shaped lower portion 110 includes sidewalls 112that proceed from side portions 106 toward one another in in angularrelation toward an intersection or keel 114. Of course one skilled inthe art will recognize that slight modifications to the overallconformation of the housing 102 can be made without departing from thescope and intent of the present disclosure since those modificationsthat do not adversely impact the functional aspects to be describedbelow are likewise intended to be covered.

The housing 102 is hollow and as more particularly evident in FIGS. 2-5,defines a cavity 120 that is subdivided into a sediment retention regionor hopper assembly 122 and a hollow chamber (160 to be described below)used to assist in installation and removal of the collector assembly 100in a manner to be described further below. The hopper assembly 122 issimilar to that shown and described in connection with applicant'scommonly owned technology (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 7,850,857 and US2019/0144317A1). The housing 102 includes an opening 126 in the uppersurface 104 that communicates with a hopper cavity 128 formed by angledor tapering sidewall portions 130 and further, partially segregated by aseries of longitudinally adjacent tapered walls 132 (FIG. 3) thattogether subdivide the hopper cavity into substantially discrete hoppercavity portions. A grate or screen 140 preferably covers the opening 126and prevents larger materials from entering the hopper cavity 128 whileallowing sediment therethrough. A portion of the grate 140 is removed inFIG. 3 to more particularly illustrate the structure of the hoppercavity portions. Thus, as is evident, the angled sidewall portions 130and tapered walls 132 direct or funnel sediment that falls through thegrate 140 toward a bottom of the hopper cavity portions. The sediment(which is heavier than the water in which the sediment is initiallycarried and introduced through the grate 140) collects in the hoppercavity 128 and is periodically removed from the collector 100 via apumping action. One preferred pumping arrangement uses inject and ejectports 150, 152 that communicate with the individual hopper cavityportions and fluidizes the sediment collected in the hopper cavityportions. This is accomplished, for example, by pumping water into theinject/eject ports 150, 152, mixing with the collected sediment in thehopper cavity portions, and pumping the fluidized sediment from thehopper cavity portions, thereby allowing the collected sediment to bepumped to a designated shore or near shore disposal area. The ports 150,152 can provide the fluid (pressurized fluid input) to the hopper cavityportions and remove the fluidized sediment (vacuum fluid output) toeffectively pump off the collected sediment. In addition, if required,internal water jets (not shown) may be operatively associated with thehopper cavity portions to eliminate any bridging or clogging of thesediment material in the hopper cavity portions. The sediment can beremoved on an as needed basis, relative to a predetermined sandtransport rate, or still other manners (e.g. time, weight, combinations)of removal can be used. Generally, the structure and operation ofcollecting and pumping off sediment in connection with the hopper cavityportions is known from prior technology developed by the inventor ofthis application.

In addition to the collection of the sediment, the housing cavity 120has an internal sealed chamber 160 that is used to facilitate placementand removal of the collector assembly 100. In the illustratedembodiment, the chamber 160 is disposed in surrounding relation to thehopper cavity 122, i.e., the chamber is located in the housing 102between the wall portions that define the housing cavity 120. Inletports 162 extend through the housing 102 (shown located here asextending through the top wall 104, although other convenient locationsmay also be provided) and communicate with the sealed chamber 160.High-pressure fluid such as water is introduced into the chamber 160through the inlet ports 162. The fluid/water fills the chamber 160 thusadding weight to the collector assembly 100. Further, the pressurizedfluid escapes through perforations or holes 164 preferably located atthe base of the housing 102, specifically keel 114. The perforations 164are sized to thereby direct high-pressure fluid outwardly from thehousing 102, thereby displacing sediment (e.g. sand) from beneath thehousing so that the collector assembly 102 “self-installs”.Particularly, the collector 100 advances or buries itself into the sand,for example, until the upper portion 104 of the housing 102 issubstantially flush with the beach or bottom of the waterway. Onceflush, the high pressure fluid is no longer supplied through the inletports 162. This situates the grate 140 of the housing 102 substantiallyflush with the beach or waterway bottom so that sediment (sand) carryingwater passes over the grate 140 and the sediment passes downwardlythrough the grate 140 and opening 126 into the cavity where the sedimentis then collected in hopper cavity 128. Advantageously, omnidirectionalor bidirectional water action flows over the collector assembly 100 sothat sediment is collected therein in response to movement of the waterthereover.

When it is determined that the collector assembly 100 should be removed,high-pressure air is directed through the inlet ports 162. The airenters into the sealed chamber 160, displaces the fluid/water previouslystored therein during the installation phase of the collector assembly,and the air expels at least some of the water from the chamber throughthe perforations 164. This fluid and/or air flowing from theperforations 164 loosens or dislodges the collector assembly 100 and inaddition since the chamber 160 at least partially fills with air,facilitates buoyancy for lift to aid in removal of the previouslyinstalled collector assembly from the waterway.

As additionally shown in FIG. 2, the surface of the grate 140 can alsobe kept clear of debris by periodically providing for a deck wash. Deckwash ports 170 direct pressurized fluid/water from beneath the grate 140or across the grate, or a combination thereof.

The collector assembly 100 advantageously provides sediment capture fromwave and tidal sand, and also provides for sediment transportation. Thecollector assembly 100 is periodically pumped out and is uniquelyconfigured to bury itself with the use of multiple jets throughperforations 164 located on the keel 114 located along a central bottomportion of the assembly. Water pumped into the internal sealed chamber160 of the collector assembly 100 is vented at the bottom through theperforations 164. Water forces the sand beneath the collector assembly100 outwardly and away from the collector housing 102, e.g. along thediverging or angling surfaces 112 of the collector assembly, thusforcing the sand that is below the housing to be forced to the surface.This process allows the collector assembly 100 to bury itself, i.e., aidin self-installation. Subsequently, the internal sealed chamber 160 canreceive pressurized air to assist in the removal of the collectorassembly 100. Forcing air into the sealed chamber 160 forces the wateroutwardly through the perforations 164 in the keel 114 until the chamberis at least partially filled with air, thereby allowing the collectorassembly 100 to become positively buoyant and assist in floating to thesurface of the waterway.

Preferably, components of the collector assembly 100 are constructed ofsteel, stainless steel, plastic, rubber, or similar materials that aregenerally resistant to corrosion and suitably durable for the effectivecapture and removal of sand or sediment, and otherwise generallyresistant to the intended environment where the collector assembly isintended for use. The sub-surface installation of the collector assembly100 provides for an aggressive removal and effective sand transport fromthe collector to a desired site.

It is contemplated that power for operating the collector assembly 100can be made available from one or more of a variety of sources. Forexample, wind power, solar power, wave-generated power, geothermal,portable generator, conventional power lines, etc. are all possiblesources of electrical power to operate the assembly. Of course this listis exemplary and should not be deemed limiting.

This written description uses examples to describe the disclosure,including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in theart to make and use the disclosure. Other examples that occur to thoseskilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the inventionif they have structural elements or process steps that do not differfrom the same concept, or if they include equivalent structural elementsor process steps with insubstantial differences

1. A collector assembly comprising: a housing dimensioned for receipt inan associated waterway and having a wall forming an internal cavity, andan opening communicating with the cavity is configured to receiveassociated sediment from the associated waterway and temporarily storesthe associated sediment in the cavity and the associated sediment issubsequently removed therefrom; a chamber in the housing includes atleast one inlet port extending through the wall that communicates withthe chamber, and a plurality of perforations spaced from the inletextending through the wall and that communicate with the chamber, theinlet port in selective, alternative, operative communication with anassociated source of (i) pressurized fluid to increase an overall weightof the collector and ejected through the perforations for displacingassociated soil from a bottom surface of the associated waterway, and(ii) pressurized air whereby filling the chamber with air facilitatesbuoyancy and aids in extraction of the collector assembly from theassociated waterway.
 2. The collector assembly of claim 1 wherein thehousing has a generally v-shaped cross-section, and the chamberperforations are located in a vertex region of the v-shaped housing. 3.The collector assembly of claim 2 wherein the chamber perforations aredirected outwardly from the housing in a pattern that extends over anacute angle.
 4. The collector assembly of claim 1 wherein the inlet portand the chamber perforations are disposed at top and bottom portions ofthe housing, respectively.
 5. The collector assembly of claim 1 whereinthe housing has first and second sidewall portions inclined relative toone another.
 6. The collector assembly of claim 1 further wherein theopening includes a grate that prevents large dimensioned material fromentering the internal cavity.
 7. The collector assembly of claim 6wherein the internal cavity includes hoppers disposed beneath the gratethat receive the associated sediment therein.
 8. The collector assemblyof claim 7 wherein an outlet communicates with the hoppers to remove thecollected associated sediment from the housing.
 9. The collectorassembly of claim 6 further comprising an injector port extendingthrough the housing into communication with the hoppers for introducingfluid into the hoppers.
 10. The collector assembly of claim 9 furthercomprising an ejector port connected to an associated vacuum source, theejector port extending through the housing into communication with thehoppers to facilitate removal of sediment collected therein. 11.(canceled)
 12. A method of installing and/or removing a collectorassembly from a waterway, the collector assembly including a housingdimensioned for receipt in an associated waterway and the housing havinga wall that includes at least one inlet port extending through the wallthat communicates with the chamber, and a plurality of perforationsspaced from the inlet port extending through the wall and thatcommunicate with the chamber, the method comprising: providingpressurized fluid through the inlet port into the chamber whereby thefluid increases an overall weight of the collector assembly; ejectingthe pressurized fluid through the perforations toward a bottom surfaceof the associated waterway for displacing associated soil from thebottom surface of the waterway; and at least partially filling thechamber with air to facilitate buoyancy and aid in extraction of thecollector assembly from the associated waterway.
 13. The method of claim12 wherein the ejecting steps include directing the pressurized fluid orpressurized air over a pattern that extends through an acute angle. 14.The method of claim 13 further comprising forming the housing to have aV-shaped cross-sectional portion and locating the perforations adjacenta vertex of the V-shaped cross-sectional portion.
 15. The method ofclaim 14 further comprising terminating the pressurized fluid into thechamber once the housing is situated in the bottom surface of thewaterway.
 16. The method of claim 12 wherein the housing furtherincludes forming a hopper, and an injector port and an ejector portcommunicating with the hopper, the hopper receiving sediment from theassociated waterway.
 17. The method of claim 16 further comprisingtemporarily storing the sediment in the hopper.
 18. The method of claim17 further comprising subsequently removing sediment from the hopper viathe ejector port.
 19. The method of claim 18 further comprisingproviding a pressurized flow across a surface of a grate that covers theopening to keep the grate surface clean.
 20. The method of claim 12wherein the waterway is a sandy beach shore, the method furthercomprising locating the collector assembly adjacent where waves break ata coastline.
 21. The method of claim 12 further comprising controllingspeed of associated pumps that communicate with the injector/and ejectorports, to thereby provide a zero suction impingement upon a surface ofthe grate.
 22. (canceled)